Fan Who Caught Historic Aaron Judge Ball Chose 'Fair' Auction Process — Costing Him an Extra $1.5M

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Elsa/Getty; Bri Amaranthus/Instagram

Cory Youmans — the Dallas man who caughtAaron Judge’s record-breaking home run ballin October — could have taken home an extra $1.5 million in the sale of the piece of history.

Instead, Youmans,who is the husband ofBachelorNation alum Bri Amaranthus, reportedly turned down a private offer of $3 million for the ball,reportedESPN, in the name of transparency.

“Congratulations to Joe! Given the historical significance of #62, it was important to me that the selling process was fair, accessible and transparent,” Youmans said Sunday, adding that the seller “seems like a great man and the perfect steward for this special piece of MLB history.”

“As this chapter comes to an end, and I reflect on catching home run ball #62, I’ll always remember the kindness of the fans around me on that exciting night in Arlington,” Youmans said. “It was the epitome of how sports brings humans together, and I’ll cherish that memory forever.”

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Youmans caught the ball on Oct. 4 at the Texas Rangers' Globe Life Field. He was seated in left field when it all went down, specifically in Section 31, Row 1, Seat 3, according to theMLB.

The homer marked 62 in a single American League season, as Judge, 30, beat Roger Maris' record from 1961. The only MLB players who have hit more homers in a season were Sammy Sosa (66), Mark McGuire (70) and Barry Bonds (73) — though baseball fans often place an asterisk on their successes as they were linked to allegedly using performance-enhancing drugs.

source: people.com